I ran across this article, the dopers are changing their minds too.
Enlightened Self-Interest

NRA support for reform of cannabis laws (or simply suspension of prohibiton efforts), even if in the form of a written statement, is an act of enlightened self-interest if there ever was one. Helping to defuse what the Federal Government is pursuing under the guise of cannabis prohibition preserves and strengthens the Bill of Rights for NRA members and for all us as a whole.

The NRA has the muscle, to be blunt, to make a tremendous difference with relatively little effort or financial expense. Even some open discussion of such a statement or resolution expressing the NRA's concern about the focus of Federal and State resources on cannabis clubs, especially while America is under real siege would be considerably impactful.

My vision is of the cannabis activist networks and the NRA constituency together notifying the Federal Government that they have exceeded their boundaries as authorized by the Constitution. I am unsure how many people this would be, but its a LOT of votes.


Common Ground

Towards that end I suggest there are several areas of overlapping concerns, or common ground. The 2 most relavent, to me, are the concepts of Personal Responsibility and Prohibition.

Who preaches responsibility more than, well, responsible gun owners? Responsible gun ownership is a model of personal responsibity to me. Guns are inherently dangerous: Responsibilty prevents damage and tragedy by actively following established rules of safety. Its a code taken seriously. Just because few people here and there do terrible things does not mean that you or I should be infringed upon as somehow complicit. The press release from the Brady Center cited above is insane. I really do respect all those Politicians, but they are out-to-lunch with that report. (Probably a 3-martini lunch.)

Another is the specter of prohibition, as in handgun control: the phrase that makes a whole bunch of people get all bristley. I do not own a gun, actually, but I cannot and do not support handgun bans specifically because of the dynamics of prohibition. Banning handguns would establish a precedent for further weakening of all Amendments, wouldn't it?

Gun ownership and handguns are a part of American Culture and banning them is simply not feasible... I just don't think it is. But then again, our Government declared a war against a weed, so there's no telling what they might do. Take the concept of the Iron Law of Prohibition (link below) and substitute "handguns" in place of "cannabis". Handgun values would skyrocket, prompting the development of a vicious black market, and a whole swath of Americans become instant criminals, and potential threats. You think we got trouble now? That really should be scary.

http://my.marijuana.com/article.php?sid=3815&mode=flat&order=0&thold=-1

.22 rifles and 12 gauages are the "window" gun. Next thing you know they'll want AK-47's and .50 cal sniper rifles. When will this madness end?

If everyone were allowed to own and shoot handguns, not to mention those potent Assualt Rifles, why, there would be nothing but chaos in the streets.


Evil Lib
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Chaos breeds independance, submit and be strong.